Bandsaw

too bad you don't live closer---I have a nice carolina industrial horizontal / vertical bandsaw I would part with for $450-----a 14" vertical that I am working on that is for metal (about $300 for it)------convert an old wood saw adding a gearbox or pulleys and have less than $500 in it----Dave
 
Perhaps where you live that's true, but in the Northwest where the OP lives that is certainly not the case. Do All's rarely come up at all and when
they do it's for a lot more that $400.00. Most of the stuff of CL around here is cheap Chinese 14" saws, with the occasional larger American
machine. Metal cutting vertical saws are rare around here.

That's unfortunate. I had no idea. Quite common around here. Right now on my local CL there's 3 of them including a nice looking Do All for $450 and a Powermatic 20" for $1150. Both asking price. It actually mite be worth shipping the Do All...........Bob
 
I got tired of waiting and General went out of business so I bought this one (less than half of retail) out of frustration. I stillhave room in my shop for a real General 14" metal bandsaw, and I'll find one someday!

https://www.busybeetools.com/products/vertical-wood-metal-bandsaw-18in-cx-series-cx101.html

I really like Jim's conversion - I might have tried it if i could have found a cheap donor bandsaw to start with. The cheapeast used here is well over $1000 unless it is broken offshore junk. So I went with what I could get.
 
I would say if you can go ahead and buy new. The Bandsaw is a key piece of equipment to have and a nice new tool will work out of the crate no problem.
 
I got tired of waiting and General went out of business so I bought this one (less than half of retail) out of frustration. I stillhave room in my shop for a real General 14" metal bandsaw, and I'll find one someday!

https://www.busybeetools.com/products/vertical-wood-metal-bandsaw-18in-cx-series-cx101.html

I really like Jim's conversion - I might have tried it if i could have found a cheap donor bandsaw to start with. The cheapeast used here is well over $1000 unless it is broken offshore junk. So I went with what I could get.

Nice saw Dabbler! Sometimes I wish mine was not single speed but 99% of time now I'm doing metal and don't need to change speed or blade. But once you get a verticle saw set up right you will never go back to futzing with standing up a horizontal to use a verticle again.

It is weird how prices vary depending on the area. Because of this discussion I scanned CL from LA to SF and there was a couple of DoAll and others, all between $1500-3,000. One ancient 14" in rough shape for $300, pass. Makes me even more happy with what I've got.
 
I got tired of waiting and General went out of business so I bought this one (less than half of retail) out of frustration. I stillhave room in my shop for a real General 14" metal bandsaw, and I'll find one someday!

https://www.busybeetools.com/products/vertical-wood-metal-bandsaw-18in-cx-series-cx101.html

I really like Jim's conversion - I might have tried it if i could have found a cheap donor bandsaw to start with. The cheapeast used here is well over $1000 unless it is broken offshore junk. So I went with what I could get.
That's one sweet metal cutting bandsaw, , must be perfect for cutting thick aluminum or mild steel, I'm so frustrated with my portable Milwaukee bandsaw right now you wouldn't believe, as soon as I cut anything thicker that 1/2" 6" long, I break the blade, I have gone through 3 blades already, it doesn't matter what I do, Itry slow feed, use lube, nothing seem to work, this portaband is very limited to short cuts. no curve cuts either.
A bigger bandsaw like the one you linked will go through thick/ thin, aluminum, steel etc. I need to get me one of these saws.
 
Ken I got it at a really good price. At the current price I couldn't afford it... I would have preferred a Do-All or similar, or a General - but the 14" general at the time was more than twice the price - like $3800... If I find a used one I'll still buy it if I can afford it. They are a workhorse and the best you can get here normally. I've cut 1" steel with it, but at 200FPM it doesn't have much oomph.
 
. I've cut 1" steel with it, but at 200FPM it doesn't have much oomph.
But it does the job without much fuss,the problem I find with smaller bandsaws is their blades suffer from metal fatigue due to their short length and the heat that's created during a cut,my next vertical bandsaw will be the size that uses 90" + long blades, less chance of them breaking (within reason) and you can cut wide curves.
 
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